Guaranteed-Tag Kodiak Island Mountain Goat and Sitka Deer – Alaska#60

Guaranteed-Tag Kodiak Island Mountain Goat and Sitka Deer – Alaska#60

If you only get one opportunity to hunt a mountain goat in your lifetime, or if you have always wanted to experience Alaska’s legendary Kodiak Island, this hunt offers some of the highest numbers of goats in any of Alaska’s game management units as well as some of the best chances of getting a goat. Offered by a master guide who has accumulated nearly 40 years of professional outfitting experience, he has produced near-perfect opportunity rates on mature billies for clients who arrive well-prepared, a significant statistic few mountain goat hunts in North America can match. Additionally, there is no need to gamble each year with Alaska’s random online draw system as permits for non-residents in this unit are guaranteed via an online registration process. And unlike most other regions of Alaska that allow significant competition between outfitters within the same hunting area, our outfitter on this portion of the island has two exclusive-use federal guide concessions, each of which are inside the Kodiak National Wildlife Refuge, no other outfitters can operate inside of.

Mountain Goat
The first exclusive-use concession surrounds the shores of a large lake with a high population of resident goats. In-fact, the population of mountain goats is so high in this unit that the Alaskan Fish and Game currently allows the harvest of two goats per hunter. Our outfitter, however, limits each hunter to one goat to ensure a sustainable long-term harvest. Goats are routinely spotted right from camp, and hunting areas that cannot be easily reached on foot are accessed by one of two motorized inflatable boats. Well-worn bear trails provide the easiest routes of travel into various drainages by foot, glassing for goats along the way. Considering camp on the lake shore is roughly 800 feet in elevation, hunters should pack light and arrive in good physical condition as most goats are found on the mountains between elevations of 1,500 to as high as 3,000 feet. The majority of goats in this area can be spotted from lower altitudes, and for that reason, most hunters will not need to climb until after a promising billy has already been spotted. One to three mile hikes should be expected when hunting each new drainage.

A nine-day itinerary includes arrival and departure days, and seven full days of hunting are included to account for any poor weather, which can happen at any point during the season. This is not a rigorous backpack-style hunt that requires hunters to carry heavy loads of equipment each day. Instead, hunters only need to carry a day pack with personal items and can expect to return to the comfortable main camp each evening.

Camps and Accommodations
Due to US Fish and Wildlife regulations, new permanent structures may not be erected inside this portion of the wildlife refuge. For that reason, the main camp consists of multiple tents, each with propane heat and light, heavy-duty cots, a toilet tent, real food for each meal (non-freeze dried) and an electric perimeter bear fence. Most weeks will have only one to two hunters at a time, and each with 1×1 guiding unless otherwise requested. The guides are some of the hardest working and most experienced on the island, and give 100% effort for every hunter.

Those who like to fish can take advantage of fast-action angling right from camp, but remember to buy a fishing license! Four-piece fly rods or packable light-tackle spinning rods that are easily transported in a duffel bag are ideal. The char in particular, beautifully colored this time of year while preparing for the fall spawn, are easy to catch with almost any traditional tackle. The lake and drainage system are also home to rainbows, seasonal steelhead and all five species of salmon. Only sockeye salmon, however, are regularly found in the lake around camp and are quite undesirable at this late state in their life cycle.

Mountain goat trophies taken on this hunt have ranged from 8.25″ to more than 10″ in horn length. Only mature billies should be expected as nannies are never hunted by the outfitter. One of the best advantages to an October or November hunt on Kodiak is the incredible hair quality not found on other North American hunts that operate in August and September. If the weather cooperates, many hunters need only one to two days to get their goat, and many hunters get their goat on their first climb up the mountain.

Fall goats from Kodiak Island, like these taken in early October, offer excellent hair quality for life-size mounts.

Season
Although the mountain goat season in this unit opens in August and does not close until March, our hunts are scheduled from early October through early November when the hair quality along with the weather and access are at a peak balance. Early and mid-October hunts offer longer hours of daylight and more favorable weather. By early November, temperatures will average ten degrees colder, snow becomes a higher probability, and goats and deer alike begin to move as the pre-rut kicks in. During this time, Sitka bucks are easier to find, mountain goat billies can regularly be found with nannies, and finding goats at lower elevations is more likely. Although Sitka deer numbers are lower in this area when compared to our second concession, trophy quality is generally quite good. If a deer tag is pre-purchased in advance, hunters have the option of taking a Sitka deer for a $3,000 trophy fee.

Bonded bullets are ideal for tough, big-bodied mountain goats, and shot distances average 150 to 400 yards. The outfitter is able to provide a rifle for use during the hunt if requested in advance. Mountain goat hunts are rifle-only as this outfitter is not taking archery hunters at this time. Hunt schedules include a nine (9) day itinerary with seven (7) full hunting days with 1 on 1 guiding. Two on one guiding may be available by request.

Sitka Deer
Sitka deer trophy hunts are located in the outfitter’s second exclusive-use guide area further towards the west end of the island. This area offers some of the very best Sitka deer hunting anywhere in North America. Winter die-offs on this portion of the island are rare due to more mild winters and favorable geographic surroundings. With high survivability and excellent numbers, hunters can expect to look over many deer over the course of the hunt and selectively pick and choose the bucks they want to pursue. Most mature bucks will score in the mid 90″ range with record-book-class bucks a real possibility here. Success rates are nearly 100% and each hunter is allowed to take two (2) deer during their hunt.

This Sitka hunt requires a minimum group size of two (2) for booking, with a maximum of four (4) in camp at one time. Guiding is a minimum of 2×1. For example, a group of three will share two guides per Alaskan state law. We offer this hunt in late October through mid-November when rutting activity is heating up. Although this hunt is not as physically demanding as the mountain goat, hunters should be prepared to climb hills and cover several miles each day by foot.

Thirty-two Reindeer were introduced to Kodiak Island in 1921 to offer locals additional sustenance due to the lack of native caribou. Today, their numbers are estimated at 300, are relatively stable, and offer an additional big game opportunity for hunters on the far west end of the island. Kodiak reindeer are not large animals, in-fact these particular reindeer are approximately 1/3 smaller in body and antler size than their Alaskan caribou relatives. Though reindeer are not always present in any given area, hunters who purchase a caribou tag in advance may take a one as an animal of opportunity for a trophy fee of $5,500.

Getting Here
Hunters must first fly to Anchorage, Alaska (ANC) and connect on a commercial flight to Kodiak City (airport code ADQ). Four to five daily flights between Anchorage and Kodiak are available on Alaskan Airlines and their partner Horizon airlines. The charter flight to camp is arranged by the outfitter and conducted by one of two third-party flight services on the island; Seahawk Air or Island Air. Charter flights are by float plane, usually a DeHaviland Beaver aircraft, and normally scheduled for the early afternoons, weather permitting. We recommend arriving in Kodiak the day prior to your scheduled charter date and staying overnight at a local motel. The second other option is to stay the night in Anchorage and take the earliest available morning flight from Anchorage to Kodiak the same day the charter to camp is scheduled. Ground transport services to or from the airport, hotel or float plane base are routinely offered by the air service companies and by the local hotels who have guest registered.

Floatplane charter fees are dependent on the number of hunters sharing the flight in and out of camp as well as the total weight flown at one time. Pricing for the charter flight can usually be shared among the hunters sharing the airplane, and in 2022, round trip prices averaged $1,100 per person. Future pricing is subject to change based on rate changes and the number of hunters booked at one time. The outfitter’s Sitka deer concession is farther away and thus requires more flight time to reach. Expect $1,500 to $2,000 round trip if shared by a group, on average

Charter fees are priced and payable directly to the third party air service companies used by the outfitter. Charter arrangements are reserved for each hunter by the outfitter, and the outfitter will provide a contact phone number to hunters before they arrive in Kodiak.

An early departure from camp after harvest is possible but not recommended as it would require a separate charter at a considerable additional cost. We recommend hunters stay the full duration of the trip to enjoy the experience of Kodiak Island, or to take advantage of any additional hunting or fishing opportunities for the remainder of the time. Trapping and/or small game hunting, aided by the outfitter, is possible if time allows.

Tags and Licenses
Mountain goat permits are guaranteed in this area, but do require on online registration for unit RG480 that opens in August of each year. The non-resident hunting license ($160), an optional fishing or small game license and big game specie tags ($600 goat. $650 reindeer/caribou and $300 per each deer) may be purchased online in advance via the Alaskan game and fish website (www.adfg.alaska.gov) or they may be purchased in person at any sporting goods store in Alaska. Big Ray’s is the largest sporting goods store on Kodiak and a license and tag vendor.

Trophy Transport
The least expensive and fastest way to get your trophy home is to take it with you when you depart. A life-size mountain goat cape plus the skull cap will weigh close to 50 pounds. Hides that are not able to be fleshed and salted before the end of the hunt may be kept cool and partially frozen when back in Kodiak by using the one of the charter company’s walk-in freezers. Large, waterproof duffel bags are ideal to contain any liquids for relatively quick travel back to the lower 48 states. Those who prefer to have their trophy shipped and expedited may do so at an additional cost. We recommend Alaska Trophy Shippers in Anchorage.

Game meat that is not taken home may be donated by signing a transfer of possession form. Hunters who chose to take home some or all of their game meat will need to purchase insulated fish boxes or hard-sided coolers when in Kodiak, each of which may be checked as airline luggage.

Pricing 2023
Mountain goat(Rifle only) – Seven hunting days with 1×1 guiding: $13,500 per person. Sitka deer may be taken for a $3,000 trophy fee.

Mountain Goat Available Dates 2023:
– Call our office for current openings, October and November

Sitka deer Five hunting days with a minimum of 2×1 guiding: $7,500 per person including two (2) bucks per hunter. Minimum group size required to book is two, maximum group size is four. Reindeer may be taken for a $5,500 trophy fee.

Sitka deer available dates:
– Call our office for current openings, November 2023

Not included with hunt packages: meals and accommodations in Kodiak City before or after the hunt; round trip float plane charter to camp; non-resident hunting license ($160) and species tags ($600 mountain goat, $650 reindeer/caribou and $300 per deer); optional fishing license and $7 per person per day refuge use fee.

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